Portland is the 11th San Antonio class Amphibious Transport Dock ship to be presented to the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) for acceptance. Acceptance Trials are conducted with INSURV and are intended to demonstrate a ship's readiness for delivery through a series of dock-side and underway tests and evaluations.

"The USS Portland is a well-designed ship that is going to increase our Navy and Marine Corps warfighting capability for years to come," said Vice Adm. Thomas Moore, Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command. "The material condition of the ship is fantastic, and the success she had during acceptance trials is a true testament to the men and women that built her."

Vice Adm. Moore embarked on Portland for the first underway day of sea trials. He observed the anchoring and the detect-to-engage demonstrations, and visited with government and shipyard workers who achieved this milestone. He also addressed Portland's crew who will take ownership of LPD 27 next month.

"The success of these trials reflects a continuing trend of delivering highly capable ships to the fleet," said Capt. Brian Metcalf, LPD 17 class program manager for Program Executive Office, Ships. "Completing this milestone is another significant step in Portland's progression toward joining her ten sister ships - LPDs that have conducted operational missions, air strikes, and humanitarian relief missions along with their Marine Corps partners for 20 deployments worldwide. "

Acceptance Trials began with dockside checks and continued with demonstrations of several major systems while at sea. Systems tested included main propulsion engineering and ship control systems, combat and communications systems, damage control, food service and crew support. LPD 27 successfully completed a full power run, steering checks, quick reversal, boat handling, anchoring and ballast demonstrations. The ship also completed a flawless detect-to-engage evolution, executed by Portland sailors.

"The Navy and shipbuilder worked diligently to complete Portland and to fully demonstrate her capabilities in over 200 events," said Capt. Brian Lawrence, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Gulf Coast. "Their collective, exceptional efforts over the past five days are a culmination of years in planning, production, quality assurance, and testing by every member of the government/industry team."

Portland is scheduled to deliver to the Navy later this fall and will be commissioned next spring in her namesake city, Portland, Oregon.

As one of the Defense Department's largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and boats and craft.